Boat plank fitting method



Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATENT} OFFICE ARTHUR R. DE WI'I'T, OF HARBOR STRINGS, MICHIGAN,ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO CARL L. WRIGHT, 0F HARBOR SPRIN GS, MICHIGANBOAT PLANE FITTING METHOD Application filed March a, 1930. Serial 1%.432,684.

The object of m invention is to provide a fitting method or boat plankswhich is simple to perform and which greatly facilitates the operationof fitting planks to the frame of a boat.

More particularly, it is my object to provide a plank fitting method inwhich a plank may be secured to the frame of a boat and another plankmay be positioned adjacent thereto after'which a cutting tool may bepassed between the two planks for the purpose of cutting their adjacentedges parallel with each other so that they can be subsequentlypositioned in contact with each other and will form a well fitted joint.

With these and other objects in view my.

invention consists in a method for fitting planks to the frame of a boatas hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tool used in fitting boat pianks.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through two planks of a boat showing themsecured to a rib of the'frame of the boat and showing a gauge in use forspacing them apart.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the cutter of the tool cuttingbetween the two planks. I

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view showing the planks fitted togetherat their ad- ]acent edges and a batten secured in positionon the planks.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through a plank showing the cutter tool inuse for rabbeting the edge of the plank.

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 6 showing a rabbetedplank in position adjacent. another plank and secured thereto by abatten.

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7 showing the tool inoperation for grooving the edge of the plank.

2 Figure 10 is a sectional view illustrating two of the planks shown inFigure 9 arranged edge to edgeand Figure 11 is a perspective view of adepth gauge for the tool.

On the accompanying drawin s, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate an electric motor for operating a tool 12. The tool 12 is asmall circular saw or cutter attached to a drive shaft 14 which may begeared by a suitable bevel or worm gear connection with the shaft of themotor 10, a housing 16 being provided for such gearing. A suitablehandle 18 is provided on the motor 10.v It is to be understood, ofcourse, that any other suitable source of power may be provided for thetool 12 instead of the motor 10.

A frame 20 is secured to the housing 16 and is provided with a knob 22for convenience in manipulating the tool in conjunction with the handle18 of the motor 10. A guard 24 is secured to the frame 20 and extendsover the tool 12.

A depth gauge 26 isprovided for the tool 12 and is preferably of V shapewith an obtuse angle as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. A air ofangle brackets 28 extend upwardly 20m the depth gauge 26 and are slottedto receive wing cap screws 30 which are screwed into the frame 20. Oneedge of the depth gauge 26 is adjacent the surface of the tool 12 asbest shown in Figure 7.

Another type of depth gauge 26a is provided which may be substituted forthe depth gauge 26. This gauge is provided with slotted brackets 28a andwith a slot 32 throu h which the tool 12 may operate.

A rent ide is provided for the tool 12 and conslsts of a bar 34 having aguide portion 36 and a guide shoulder 38. The shoulder 38 is adapted tobe. normally held down against any material on which the tool is beingused by a spring 40. The bar 34 is guidingly carried by a bracket 42which may be adjusted in a direction parallel with.

the-drive shaft 14 by means of a slot 44 and wing cap screw 46 whichserve to connect tends for connecting such guide to the frame 20. Byreason of the slot connections, the bracket 42 and the guide bar 34carried thereby as well as the guide 52 may be adjusted for differentthicknesses of cutting tools 12 and for adjusting the guides to properpositions for cooperating with the material on which the tool is used.

A rabbet fence or gauge 58 is provided having a pair of Lip-standingarms 60 terminating in hubs 62. Rods 64 are secured in the frame 20 forsupporting the rabbeting gauge 58 and extend through the hubs 62. Wingset screws 66 are provided for holding the arms 60 and the gauge 58 inany adjusted position relative to the rods 64.

Referring to Figure 4, my method of fitting planks to the frames ofboats consists in first securing a plank 68 which has been cut on a bandsaw or the like to proper shape from a suitable pattern to the frame ofthe I boat, a rib of which is indicated at 70. An-

other plank 72 is then positioned adjacent the plank 68 and secured bymeans of clamps 74. A gauge 75 is used for positioningthe closestadjacent portions of the planks 68 and 72 a predetermined distanceapart. The planks may have to be steamed and possibly altered in shapebefore being secured and clamped to the boat frame so that they willfollow the irregular contour of the boat frame.

The next operation as shown in Figure 5 is to pass the cutting tool 12between the planks 68 and 72 from one end to the other so that theadjacent edges of the plank will be parallel with each other. At thestem of the boat where it is not desired to cut through the stem post,the front end of the fitting tool may be rested on the plank and thenthe rear end tipped downwardly until the tool cuts into the plank andthe depth gauge 26a engages the planks 68 and 72. The.

front guide bar 34 will be in a raised position when the front end ofthe fitting tool is tipped downwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure2 in which the position of the plank {elative to the tool is alsoillustrated in dotted mes.

The depth gauge 26a is used so as to have a firm hearing on both theplank 68 and the plank 72 to, tool 12.

After the fitting tool hasbeen run lengthwise between the planks 68 and7 2,- the plank 72 may be unclamped and then secured in position on theboat frame adjacent the plank 68 as shown in Figure 6. It will befoundthat the contacting edges of the two planks fit perfectly their entirelength and -no further fitting need be done to obtain a tight jointbetween the planks. Subsequently, a batten 76 may be glued and suitablysecured over the seam between the two planks 68 and 72 as illustrated inFigure 6 prevent any side twisting of the or in a boat constructionwhere sawed ribs are used, the boat frame is set up and the bats arefastened to the ribs in notches sawed into ribs so the battens will beflush and subsequently the plank is fastened to ribs and battens.

When a plank is fitted adjacent the keel 78 of the boat, it is necessaryto use the depth gauge 26 in the event that the keel 78 "is thicker thanthe planking as the left half of the gauge 26a would interfere with thekeel which is shown by dotted lines in Figure 5.

In some instances, it is desirable to make a joint as illustrated inFigure 8 in which a rabbet 80 is formed in the edge of the plank 72 forthe reception of a sealing compound 82 as described in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 430,499, filed February 24, 1930. To form thisrabbet the depth gauge 26 and the rabbeting gauge 58 are used asillustrated in Figure 7. In order to use the tool in this manner,theplank 72 is removed from the position illustrated in Figure 5 andsecured to a work bench or the like.

In Figure 10 I illustrate another type of boat scam in which grooves 84are formed in the adjacent edges of the planks 68 and 72 and areadaptedto be filled withcompound 82 forced into the seam through an opening 86as described in my co-pending application above referred to. The grooves84 may be formed in planks 68 and 72 by using the fitting tool asillustrated in Figure 9. The boat planks are removed from the boat frameand held in a vice or the like during such grooving operations. My toolwill also be found desirable for other types of rabbets and grooves andvarious work involved in connection with the fitting of planks to boatframes. 4

My method and tool are designed to eliminate a great deal of skilledhand work in connection with the fitting of planks to boat frames.Heretofore, it has been customary to saw the boat planks from a straightplank according to a pattern which has previously been drafted. This isusually done on a band saw as the shapes of the planks are usuallycurved and are wider at some points in their len h than at other points.The band saw, 0 course, cuts at right angles to the face of the lank.

When the p anks are subsequently fitted to the frame of a boat theadjacent edges are not parallel as illustrated in Figure 4 and it hasheretofore been necessary to do a lot of markin and removing of theplanks from the boat rame and planing of the marked simple matter toclamp the plank 72 spaced from the plank 68 a predetermined distanceasgoverned by the gauge 75 (which is of I slightly greater width than theguiding end 36 of the front guide bar 34) and then pass the cutting toolbetween the planks whereupon the adjacent edges. of the two planks areexactly parallel even where it happens that a slight variation has beenmade in the shape of the plank edge when cuttin it on the band saw.Thereafter the'batten 6 may be glued into position or a cotton calked orcompound filled seam may be made between the planks of the boat. i

The guide 34 and the guide 52 (which is thicker than the guide portion36 of the guide 34 and is in alignment therewith as shown in Figure 3)insure that the tool 12 will follow the space between the planksaccurately, the depth gauge 26 or 26a regulating the depth of the cut sothat the saw cuts just to the ribs 70 but not into them as best shown inFigure 5.

In my claims it is to be understood that the word plank refers to thekeel or any other portion of the boat between which and a plank the toolmay be passed for fitting the joint between them. My method may bepracticed with slight changes and changes may be made in the arrangementand construction of the various parts of the fitting tool Withoutdeparting from the real spirit and purpose of my invention and it is myintention, therefore, to cover by my claim such modified methods or useor mechanical equivalents as will be reasonably included within theirscope.

I claim as my invention:

In a boat plank fitting method, the attachment of one or more planks cutto outline shape to a boat frame, temporarily clamping the next plank inproper position on said frame but in slightly spaced relation to thenext adjacent plank, the passage of a cutting tool therebetween wherebythe adjacent edges of said planks are cut parallel with each other andthen shifting the latter plank to its final position' on the boat frameand securing it.

' Des Moines, Iowa, February 19, 1930.

ARTHUR R. DE WITT.

